Metal clad door



I May '19, 19 70 C. IVIIYULTYER I METAL GLAD DQOB I 2 sheetssheet 1 Filed Feb. 20, 1968 w l d w M f w 1 Ti? T3; T am a w 2 2 M c 5 W 5 5 5 H INVENTOR HowmoC M01. me

FIG.3

ATTORNEY yw, 19 0 .H..MUL'TER 3,51 ,305

v METAL GLAD DOOR Filed Feb. 20; 1968 2 sheets-sheet 2 IN VENTOR HOWARD C MqLrsR ATTORNEY United States Patent Oflice 3,512,305 Patented May 19, 1970 3,512,305 METAL CLAD DOOR Howard C. Multer, West Hartford, Conn., assignor to The Stanley Works, New Britain, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Filed Feb. 20, 1968, Ser. No. 706,901 Int. Cl. E06b 03/36 US. Cl. 49-503 13 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A metal clad 'door has a pair of stiles and a pair of rails extending therebetween with a core of an insulating medium in the space defined thereby. A pair of metal skins is disposed on opposite side surfaces of the stiles and rails and extends therebetween to provide the faces of the door. The skins have end portions which extend beyond the stiles with flanges thereon extending toward each other and overlain by a molding member extending along the outer edge surface of one of the stiles providing the latch side of the door.

In accordance with the disclosed construction, the flanges extending about the stiles have reentrant configuration and may be cut away to provide a mortise for the hinges assembled therewith. The spacing between the ends of the flanges on the metal skins on the latch side of the door permits facile drilling of an aperture for the latch bolt and a simple but highly durable arrangement for mounting the latch assembly is also provided.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Metal clad doors have been enjoying greatly increasing use not only for commercial applications but also for residential applications because of their fire-retardant and relatively warp-free nature. Because of economy and the desire to increase the insulating characteristics, some doors employ a frame of wood providing rails and stiles and a core of an insulating medium such as a synthetic plastic foam. Various techniques have been proposed for effecting engagement between the metal skins and the frame encluding mechanical interlocking, adhesives, fasteners and the like.

It will be appreciated that an insulating medium is required between the metal skins to prevent heat transfer therebetween in order to obtain optimum insulating characteristics. Moreover, it is necessary to incise or otherwise cut or initially form the metal skins so as to provide for mounting of the door latch, hinges and other elements. Where the metal skins have flanges which extend about the latch side of the door and terminate in spaced apart relationship, the appearance may be unattractive due to the non-uniform edge appearance and configurations required to effect assembly.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a metal clad door which is relatively rugged and simple in construction and which presents a highly attractive appearance.

It is also an object to provide such a door wherein hinges, latch members and the like may be mounted easily and securely to present an attractive assembly.

Another object is to provide such a door in which thermal expansion and contraction of the metal skins and deviations in dimension thereof may be accommodated easily and attractively.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It has now been found that the foregoing and related objects can be readily attained in a metal-clad door having a pair of stiles and a pair of rails extending therebetween at the top and bottom thereof. A core of insulating medium is disposed in the space bounded by the stiles and rails and a pair of metal skins on opposite side surfaces of the stiles and rails extends therebetween and provides the faces of the door. End portions on the skins projecting beyond the stiles have flanges thereon which extend toward each other but terminate in spaced apart relationship so as to prevent heat transfer therebetween. A molding member extending along the outside edge surface of the stile to provide the latch side of the door overlies the ends of the flanges of the metal skins to provide an attractive and durable assembly.

In accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the molding member has channels extending along the sides thereof and the flanges have a reentrant configuration with the channels of the molding member being cooperatively configured so as to receive the end portions of the flanges. Thus, the molding member conceals the end portions of the flanges to provide an attractive appearance for the edge of the door while at the same time facilitating assembly of the skins and providing a durable construction.

By use of the reentrant configuration for the end portions and flanges on the skins, the hinges may be mortised on the door without actually cutting the stiles. More particularly, the reentrant portions provide a spacing or projection beyond the edge of the stile cooperating with the thickness of the hinge so that cutting of the end portion and flange provides a recess equal in depth to the thickness of the hinge leaf. Thus, upon viewing of either the front or rear surface of the door, there is a flush mortised appearance. In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, the end portions of both skins may be cut away to provide a mortise for a hinge having a door mounting leaf of a length sufiicient to extend fromfront to rear surface of the door. Such a hinge leaf may be reversed so that the same hinge may be utilized either for left-handed or right-handed operation.

The provision for the latch assembly may be eifected simply and economically by drilling a hole in the latch side edge of the door through the molding member between the ends of the flanges of the metal skins and thence through the underlying stile. Both skins and the core and/ or stile may be readily incised to provide the aperture for mounting the knob assembly and desirably a metal split ring is snapped into the aperture thus formed to provide a firm seat for the latch assembly.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a front, elevational view of a metal clad door embodying the present invention with hinge leaves mounted thereon;

FIG. 2 is an elevational view of the hinge side thereof;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view to a greatly enlarged scale along the line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a greatly enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the latch portion thereof;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view to an enlarged scale along the line 55 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 6 is an end elevational view to an enlarged scale of the molding element employed on the latch side of the door.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS Turning now in detail to FIGS. l5 of the attached drawings, therein illustrated is a metal clad door embodying the present invention having a frame provided by a pair of stiles 10 and a pair of rails 12 extending therebetween and secured in assembly by the metal cleats 14 or other suitable fasteners. A pair of metal skins generally designated by the numerals 16 provides the faces of the door, and the skin have end portions 18 which extend beyond the edges of the stiles with inwardly extending or reentrant flanges as best seen in FIGS. 3 and 5. On the latch side of the door the flanges 20 seat in the side channels 22 of a molding member generally designated by the number 24 as shown in FIG. 3. On the hinge side, as seen in FIG. 5, the free ends of the flanges 20 merely abut the outer surface of the stile 10.

Filling the cavity or space bounded by the stiles 10, rails 12 and skins 16 is a cellular foam 26 of synthetic plastic material which forms an insulating medium between the two faces thereof and provides a support for the skins 16 intermediate the stiles 10 and rails 12. In the illustrated embodiment, plates 28 are cemented or otherwise secured to the inner surface of the skins 16 adjacent the lower ends thereof. A synthetic plastic Weatherstrip 230 of resiliently deformable material is secured to the bottom rail 12 to facilitate sealing of the door in the frame.

Turning now in detail to the cross section of the molding member 24 which is best seen in FIG. 6, it is fabricated integrally of a relatively rigid synthetic plastic material with end portions 32 and a center portion formed by a bridge or web 34 of lesser thickness with a pair of beads 36 on its outer surface and a pair of support legs 38 on its inner surface which extend to the same plane as that of the inner surface of the end portions 32. The end portions 32 are bifurcated to provide two arms 40, 42 which provide the channels 22 therebetween having a center line extending at an acute angle to the plane of the inner surface thereof to cooperate with the angle of the flange 20. The inner arms 40 are of greater length than the outer arms 42 and have a recess 44 in the outer surface so as to enable some flexure. The upward taper on the outer portion of the arms 40 provides a ramp to facilitate insertion of the flanges 20 into the channels 22, and the shoulders 46 formed by the V-shaped inner surface 48 thereof serve to restrain the flanges 22 in the channels. The outer arms 42 have a bead 50 on the outer surface of the free ends thereof generally similar to the beads 36 on the center portion.

In mounting the hinges generally designated by the numeral 52 on the door, the end portion 18 and flange 20 are notched to provide a mortise into which the leaf 54 may be inserted. As seen in FIG. 5, the end portion 18 of the skin 16 is about the same dimension as the thickness of the hinge leaf 54 so as to provide a flush mounted appearance from either side of the door and a flush fit within the door frame (not shown). As can be seen, the leaves 54 extend in the notched portion of.

the skin 16 and are secured to the stiles 10 by fasteners 56 while the knuckles 58 are disposed outwardly from the face of the skin 16. The hinges 52a, 52b have leaves 54a, 54b of a shorter length than the leaf 54c of the hinge 520 to require notching only one skin 16 and function as single-handed hinges. The larger leaf 540 of the hinge 52c and its mounting illustrate an alternative arrangement which permits operation of the door as either left-handed or right-handed. As can be seen in FIG. 2, both skins 16 are notched with the leaf 54c extending into both notches, and the pattern of the apertures for the fasteners 56 in the leaf 520 permits the hinge leaf to be reversed so that the knuckle 58 may extend to either side of the door.

Turning now to FIG. 4, the facile mounting arrangement for a latch may be seen. At the latch side of the door, a circular hole 60 is drilled or otherwise cut through the metal skins 16, the stile 10 and foam core 26 at the proper spacing from the side edge of the door. A resiliently deformable split metal ring 62 of somewhat greater diameter than the hole 60 is initially compressed and then inserted into the hole '60 wherein it is allowed to expand into tight fitting surface contact with the foam core 26 and stile 10 to provide a reinforced support for the latch assembly (not shown). A hole 64 is then drilled through the center portion of the molding member 24 and stile 10 normally to the hole 60 for the latch bolt (not shown) in accordance with conventional practice and aligns with the spacing between the eds of the split ring 62. It can be seen that the spacing between the ends of the flanges 20 avoids any necessity for cutting the metal skins i6 in this operation.

The stiles and rails for the door frame will normally be wood members although other materials may be employed if so desired, including plastics and molded ceramics which will not conduct heat from one skin to the other. Generally, the stiles and the rails are held together as a rectangular frame unit to facilitate assembly of the door by suitable means such as corrugated fasteners, nails, screws, adhesives, etc.

The insulating medium forming the core of the door may be a synthetic plastic, a fibrous material such as a cardboard lattice, a light-weight mineral such as vermiculite or a pressed composite material having the desired characteristics of heat insulation. Preferably, the coreshould be structurally self-supporting as contrasted with a particulate mass such as vermiculite in order to achieve uniform characteristics, avoid settling and provide firm support for the skins. Synthetic plastics have been found highly advantageous for this application and cellular foams are preferred. Although the core may be a preformed foam block or sheet, significant advantages have been obtained both from the standpoint of economics and from the standpoint of optimum assembly by foaming the synthetic plastic material for the core in place.

More particularly, various synthetic plastic resins are available for use in prefoamed or foamed in situ structures including polystyrene, polyvinyl chloride, and polyurethanes. By foaming in piace a resin having inherent adhesive characteristics such as a polyurethane, the expending foam will completely fill the cavity and knit to the stiles, rails and skins to unite them in a firm comv posite structure. When a resin which does not possess the inherent adhesive characteristics is employed, it is highly desirable to apply an adhesive coating to the inner surface of the skins and/or to the synthetic plastic core for effecting firrn bonding thereof. When the resin is to be foamed in place, it may be conveniently introduced through the aperture(s) for the latch assembly or through some other aperture formed in the rails or stiles. As will be appreciated, the assembly of the skins, rails and frames should be maintained under pressure to prevent deformation as a result of the expanding foam.

The metal skins are most conveniently formed from a ferrous metal although other metals may be employed if magnetic action is not desired, or in conjunction with a ferrous metal strip to provide magnetic action where desired. Aluminum is a particularly advantageous non-ferrous metal, although brass and copper may be utilized. The skins may vary in thickness so long as they provide sufiicient resistance to permanent deformation and durability to the assembly. For example, with ferrous metal skins, thicknese of about 0.020 to 0.050 inch may be conveniently utilized, with a thickness of 0.025 to 0.035 being optimum from the standpoint of cost and ease of fabrication.

The molding member is fabricated from synthetic plastic conveniently by extrusion technology so as to minimize the cost thereof. The resin employed should be one which is resistant to weathering, durable and preferably fire-retardant. Although a number of resins may be utilized including polyurethanes, impact polystyrenes, acrylonitrile/ butadiene/styrene (ABS), and silicones, rigid polyvinyl chlorides have proven highly effective and are advantageously employed because of their inherent fire-retardance and relatively low cost. As will be readily appreciated, the synthetic plastic resins may contain inert fillers, pigments, plasticizers and other materials in accordance with conventional practice.

As shown in the illustrated embodiment, the molding member may be applied only to the latch side edge of the door in order to provide the necessary takeup for tolerance for a firm assembly and to provide a highly attractive appearance. However, if so desired, a similar molding memher may be employed along the hinge side edge of the door to enhance the appearance thereof. Generally, the skins will be dimensioned so that they extend to the edges of the rails and slightly therebeyond to provide a uniform appearance for the door and protection for the rails from heat. It is not necessary that the skins have flanges of the type employed at the rails although such may be employed, albeit with greater difficulty in effecting fabrication and with greater cost. In accordance with the preferred aspect, the edges of the skins are aligned substantially flush with the edge of the bottom rail and project slightly beyond the edge of the upper rail, particularly since some tolerance should be provided to ensure complete covering of the rails.

Although the skins may be formed about the stiles by use of special tooling to provide the reentrant flanges, the preferred technique involves the rolling of the flanges on the skins prior to assembly of the skins to the frame. Thus, a simple rolling operation may be utilized without expensive dies and jigs and at a relatively high rate of speed.

The skins should be securely fastened to the stiles and rails by adhesive interposed therebetween in order to produce optimum strength for the assembly. This is conveniently done by precoating the side surfaces of the stiles and rails and the corresponding areas of the skins with a heat-activatable adhesive. After assembly of the skins to the stiles and rails, the assembly may be subjected to sufficient heat to activate the adhesive and produce the desired bonding of the components. This same heating operation may be utilized to preheat the assembly for a step of foaming a synthetic plastic resin in place. Thus, after heat-activating the adhesive, the assembly may be transferred into a press to provide the bonding pressure which can also serve as the press for the foaming operation to prevent deformation of the skins as the resin expands. Alternatively, the door which has had the skins (and stiles and rails) heated sufficiently to activate the adhesive may be passed through a set of pressure rolls sufficient to produce the laminating pressure.

Although the molding member may be assembled to the stile by use of adhesive or other suitable mounting means such as one or more tails which seat in grooves in the edge of the door, the preferred techniques of assembly requires no separate securing means. If, however, a molding member is to be utilized on the hinge side of the door where the lengths involved will be relatively short adjacent the top and bottom edges because of cutting thereof for mounting of the hinge leaves, it will normally be desirable to provide adhesive or other securing means for these short lengths. In the preferred techniques for assembly, one skin is first assembled to the stiles and rails and the molding member is then secured in assembly upon the stile and in engagement with the first skin. Because of the configuration of the preferred embodiment molding member, it will tend to retain itself in assembly and flush against the surface of the stile. The flange of the second skin is first fitted to the hinge side of the door and the skin is then pivoted so that the flange at the latch side contacts the molding member and is guided into the channel along the side edge thereof by the sloping configuration as it initially deflects and then snaps into the channel to provide a firm assembly so that the flanges on the skins thus engage within the channels of the molding member to provide a firm assembly.

In the illustrated embodiment, reinforcing plates have been provided adjacent the lower edge of the door between the stiles. Since the skins will normally be of sheet material which can be deformed upon sufficient impact, the reinforcing plates disposed on the inner surface thereof serve to distribute any force of unusual impact over a larger surface of the door and thus prevent excessive deformation of the metal skins or serious injury to the door. Such reinforcin plates may be metal, ceramic, or of composite material such as pressed wood and the like. Desirably, they are adhesively secured in position to the metal skins, and the core will further serve to secure them in proper position and provide bonding in the event that a synthetic resin having adhesive properties is foamed in place.

Thus, is can be seen that the present invention provides a novel and highly effective metal clad door which is durable and simple in construction. It can be seen that the components are relatively easily fabricated and are also easily and economically assembled. The appearance of the final structure is highly attractive and various modifications are possible to further enhance the appearance and structural strength of the door.

Having thus described the invention, I claim:

1. A metal clad door comprising a pair of stiles; a pair of rails extending therebetween at the top and bottom thereof; a core of an insulating medium in the space bounded by said stiles and rails; a pair of metal skins on opposite sides of said stiles and rails and extending therebetween, said skins having end portions projecting beyond the stiles with flanges thereon extending toward each other but terminating in spaced-apart relationship, said skins and core being adhesively engaged; a molding member along the outside edge surface of one of said stiles overlying the ends of said flanges of said metal skins, said skins, core and one stile having an aperture extending therethrough adjacent said one stile to provide for mounting of a door knob or the like, and wherein said one stile, core and molding member have an aperture extending therethrough normally to and communicating with said first mentioned aperture for passage of a latch bolt or the like; and means in said first mentioned aperture engaged with said one stile and providing a reinforced seat for a door knob assembly or the like, said means being dimensioned and configured for insertion into said first mentioned aperture after assembly of said skins and core, said means having a passage therein extending in axial alignment with said second mentioned aperture for passage of the door bolt therethrough.

2. A metal clad door comprising a pair of stiles; a pair of rails extending therebetween at the top and bottom thereof; a core of an insulating medium in the space bounded by said stiles and rails; a pair of metal skins on opposite sides of said stiles and rails and extending therebetween, said skins having end portions projecting beyond the stiles with flanges thereon having a reentrant configuration to extend toward the stile and toward each other but terminating in spaced-apart relationship, said skins and core being adhesively engaged; and a molding member of synthetic plastic material extending along the outside edge surface of one of said stiles and having a cross sectional configuration with end portions providing channels along the ends thereof receiving the ends of said flanges of said skins, said molding member and said end portion of said skins being of substantially equal dimension to provide a relatively flush appearance for the side edge of the door, said channels having a center line extending at an acute angle to the plane of the inner surface thereof, said end portions being generally bifurcated with two arms providing the channel therebetween and with the inner arm having a generally V-shaped inner surface, the outer portion of which provides a ramp to facilitate insertion of the flanges of said skins into said channel.

3. The metal clad door in accordance with claim 2 wherein the inner surface of said inner arm is configured to provide at the apex of said generally V-shaped configuration a shoulder facing inwardly of said channel to restrain the ends of said flanges therein.

4. The metal clad door in accordance with claim 2 wherein the end portions and flanges of at least one of said skins at the other of said stiles have recesses formed therein and wherein said door includes hinge leaves mounted in said recesses with knuckle portions thereof projecting outwardly of the surface of one of said skins.

5. The metal clad door in accordance with claim 4 wherein said molding member is integrally formed of a relatively rigid synthetic plastic material and has a crosssectional configuration with end portions providing said channels receiving the ends of said flanges of said skins and with a center line for said channels extending at an acute angle to the plane of the inner surface thereof, said end portions being generally bifurcated with two arms providing the channel therebetween and with the inner arm having a generally V-shaped inner surface, the outer portion of which provides a ramp to facilitate insertion of the flanges of said skins into said channel; and wherein said flanges of said skins have a reentrant configuration of an angle cooperating with the angle defined by the center line of said channels of said molding member.

6. The metal clad door in accordance with claim 4 wherein both of said skins are provided with aligned recesses at the other of said stiles andwherein said hinge leaves extend across substantially the full width of said other stile in said recesses to provide a relatively flush appearance for the side margins of both skins and wherein said hinge leaves are reversible'to provide for doublehanded mounting of said door.

7. A metal clad door comprising a pair of stiles; a pair of rails extending therebetween at the top and bottom thereof; a core of an insulating medium in the space bounded by said stiles and rails; a pair of metal skins on opposite sides of said stiles and rails and extending therebetween, said skins having end portions projecting beyond the stiles with flanges thereon extending toward each other but terminating in spaced-apart relationship, said skins and core being adhesively engaged; a molding member along the outside edge surface of one of said stiles overlying the ends of said flanges of said metal skins, said skins, core and one stile having an aperture extending therethrough adjacent said one stile to provide for mount ing of a door knob or the like, and wherein said one stile, core and molding member have an aperture extending therethrough normally to and communicating with said first mentioned aperture for passage of a latch bolt or the like; and a metal split ring retained in said firstmentioned aperture with the spacing between the split ends thereof registering with said second-mentioned aperture to provide a reinforced seat for a door knob assembly or the like. 4

8. A metal clad door comprising a pair of stiles; a pair of rails extending therebetween at the top and bottom thereof; a core of an insulating medium in the space bounded by said stiles and rails; a pair of metal skins on opposite sides of said stiles and rails and extending therebetween to provide the faces of the door, said skins having end portions projecting beyond the stiles with flanges thereon having a reentrant configuration to extend toward the stile and toward each other but terminating in spaced-apart relationship, said end portions and flanges of at least one of said skins at one of said stiles having recesses formed therein; hinge leaves mounted on said one stile in said recesses with knuckle portions projecting outwardly on the surface of one of said skins; a molding member integrally formed of synthetic plastic material along the outside edge surface of the other of said stiles having a cross-sectional configuration providing channels along the ends thereof receiving the ends of said flanges of said skins with portions of the molding member overlying the ends of said flanges to provide a neat, relatively flush appearance for the side edge of the door, said skins, core and other stile having an aperture extending therethrough adjacent said other stile to provide for mounting of a door knob or the like, said other stile and molding member having an aperture extending therethrough normally to and communicating with said first-mentioned aperture for passage of a latch bolt or the like whereby a door knob assembly or the like may be mounted readily upon said door; and means insaid second aperture engaged with said one stile and providing a reinforced seat for a door knob assembly or the like mounted therein, said means being dimensioned and configured for insertion into said first-mentioned aperture after assembly of said skins and core, said means having a passage therein extending in axial alignment with said second-mentioned aperture for passage of the door bolt therethrough.

9. The metal clad door in accordance with claim 8 wherein said hinge leaves and said end portions are of substantially equal dimension to provide a relatively flush appearance for the side margin of the skin beyond which they project.

10. The metal clad door in accordance with claim 8 wherein said molding member has a cross-sectional configuration .with end portions providing channels receiving the ends of said flanges of said skins with a center line extending at an acute angle to the plane of the inner surface thereof, said end portions being generally bifurcated with two arms providing the channel therebetween and with the inner arm having a generally V-shaped inner surface, the outer portion of which provides a ramp to facilitate insertion of the flanges of said skins into said channel.

11. The metal clad door in accordance with claim 8 wherein said means is a metal split ring retained in said first-mentioned aperture with the spacing between the split ends thereof registering with said second-mentioned aperture to provide a reinforced seat for a door knob assembly or the like.

12. The metal clad door in accordance with claim 8 wherein the end portion and flanges of both of said skins are provided with aligned recesses at said one stile and wherein said hinge leaves extend across substantially the full width of said one stile in said recesses to provide a relatively fl'ush appearance for the side margins of both skins, and wherein said hinge leaves are reversible to provide for double-handed mounting of said door.

13. The metal clad door in accordance with claim 8 wherein said molding member has a cross-sectional configuration with end portions providing channels receiving the ends of said flanges of said skins with a center line extending at an acute angle to the place of the inner surface thereof, said end portions being generally bifurcated with two arms providing the channel therebetween and with the inner arm having a generally V-shaped inner surface, the outer portion of which provides a ramp to facilitate insertion of the flanges of said skins into said channel, said molding member and said end portions of said skins being of substantially equal dimension to provide a relatively flush appearance for the side edge of the door; and wherein the end portions of the flanges of both of said skins are provided with aligned recesses at said one stile, said hinge leaves extending across substantially the full width of said one stile in said recesses and being substantially equal in dimension to the end portions of said skins to provide a relatively flush appearance for the side margins of *both skins; and wherein said hinge leaves are reversible to provide for double-handed mounting of said door.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,793,081 2/1931 Goddard 49-503 X 2,042,721 6/1936 Loewy 52624 X 2,204,818 6/ 1940 Obermayr 52r624 X 3,153,817 10/1964 Pease 52-619 3,190,683 6/1965 Schlage .'292337 3,333,385 8/1967 King 52-624 3,334,464 8/1967 Charles 49501 X 3,386,209 6/1968 Starcevic 49501 DAVID J. WILLIAMOWSKY, Primary Examiner P. C. KANNAN, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 52-624 

